This invention relates to a switch device which, for example, is suitable for remotely controlling an electric motor which is used to change the position of an outside mirror of an automobile (hereinafter referred to merely as "a switch device", when applicable).
A switch device of this type is, for instance, designed so that four depressing surfaces defined on a plate-shaped operating knob are depressed to activate two electric motors to swing the mirror vertically and horizontally. One example of a switch device of this type is shown in FIG. 9. The switch device has four depressing surfaces including four switches 1, 2, 3 and 4 which are so arranged that the switches 1 and 2 are opposite one another and the switches 3 and 4 are opposite one another. The switches 1, 2, 3 and 4 comprise contact means 1a and 1b, 2a and 2b, 3a and 3b, and 4a and 4b, respectively. When the contact means 1a and 1b are turned on simultaneously by operating the "UP" push button, the switch 1 is operated so that a motor adapted to swing the mirror vertically is turned in the forward direction, to swing the mirror upwardly. When the contact means 2a and 2b are turned on simultaneously by operating the "DOWN" push button, the switch 2 is operated to turn the motor in the reverse direction to swing the mirror downwardly. When the contact means 3a and 3b are turned on simultaneously by operating the "LEFT" push button, the switch 3 is operated so that a motor adapted to swing the mirror horizontally is turned in the forward direction to swing the mirror to the left. Similarly, when the contact means 4a and 4b are turned on simultaneously by operating the "RIGHT" push button, the switch 4 is operated so that the motor is turned in the reverse direction to swing the mirror to the right.
Of those eight contact means, the contact means 1a and 3a are used to connect a common terminal of the vertically swinging motor and the horizontally swinging motor to the negative terminal of a battery, and the contact means 2a and 4a are used to connect a common terminal of the motors to the positive terminal of the battery. The contacts 1a and 3a are provided adjacent to each other, and the contacts 2a and 4a are also provided adjacent to each other.
In the above-described conventional switch device, eight contacts means, 1a through 4a and 1b through 4b, are provided to form the four switches 1 through 4. The number of contact means is relatively large. As a result, the switch device is intricate in construction and high in manufacturing cost.